


The Smallest of Things

by maxbegone



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: After Vox Machina, Baby, Fluff, Kidfic, Mentions of Vox Machina, Pikelan baby, Post-Canon, because gnomes, gnome babies!!!, grog's an uncle and it's adorable, mentions of Kaylie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-03-08 16:22:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13461984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maxbegone/pseuds/maxbegone
Summary: "C'mon, Grog. You're not going to hurt her.""But she's so little!""So are we! You've never had a problem holding us before!"Really, it's Grog and a gnome baby who definitely becomes his favorite.---(Edited and re-written from the original as of 8/25/18)





	The Smallest of Things

**Author's Note:**

> This could have alternately been titled "give grog a million more gnomes because he needs them in order to live," but that would've been too long. 
> 
> (This work has since been revised, edited and reposted as of August 25th, 2018. )

"C'mon, Grog. You're not going to hurt her." 

"But she's so  _little!"_

"So are we! You've never had a problem holding us before!"

"But--" 

This debate had been going on for nearly ten minutes. Grog was standing in the corner of Pike and Scanlan's bedroom with his back to the door, completely static. Pike was relaxed against a mountain of pillows, her hair messily tossed into a bun on the top of her head, with Scanlan happily next to her. In his arms all bundled up and sound asleep was a baby. A very new and  _very_ tiny baby. 

_His littlest gnome!_

"Grog," Pike urged. "at least come over here."

"No, the lil' bit's sleeping! I don't wanna wake her." 

"This is cute," Scanlan laughed. "Big Man, she'll be fine."

Grog responded with a sheepish "Ok," and made his way over. 

He didn't let his legs touch the bed. He didn't let himself sit, Grog simply hovered over his two best friends, nervously watching the baby as she slept. 

"She's so cute," he exclaimed quietly. "Pike! She looks like you!"

In response Pike leaned her head on Scanlan's shoulder and gave Grog a tired smile. 

"Would you like to hold her?" 

Grog froze. "She's sleeping." 

"That's alright, she'll be alright." 

Scanlan made to sit up, to pass the baby over to him, but Grog backed away into an adjacent dresser. 

"Grog. What's wrong?"

Silence.

Scanlan sighed. "Grog. You've held babies before."

"Yeah. Percy and Vex's."

"They were babies once." 

"I know!" 

"So," Scanlan repeated, "what's wrong?"

Grog huffed. "She's just so tiny," he admitted in a sheepish tone. He shifted and somehow his posture made him appear smaller. "I don't want to hurt her." 

He looked down at his hands, large and rough from years of handling heavy weaponry. He could easily snap a thick branch in two, and he's killed many enemies throughout his travels -- dragons, mutant creatures, an undead god, even his own corrupt uncle. And he's held babies before, Vex and Percy's kids, and they were small but not like this.

His two best friends had a baby. A gnome baby. And all Grog could think about was accidentally hurting her, and then Pike wouldn't forgive him. 

Pike, who had been watching Grog carefully for a few moments now, spoke up. "You're not going to hurt her. I know you, you have a good heart, you're gentle. I trust you." 

That made him feel a little better, just a bit.

"Alright," he smiled nervously. "What do I - what do I do?"

"Here, just..." Scanlan lifted the baby to show him. "Put your arms like I have mine - good! And just watch her head, 'kay? Hold her just like you've held Elaina and Freddy and the twins." 

"I bet you're happy you didn't have twins."

Pike thought for a minute before responding with, "We're both very new to this." 

"And we have a  _lot_ to learn. Twins would be tough," Scanlan admitted with a light chuckle. "Here she is..." 

The baby was placed gingerly into Grog's arms - hands, really - and  _gods_ she was somehow even tinier! 

They were all silent for a few moments as Grog simply watched the baby sleep. She was peaceful, one hand curled up by her chin. 

"She's a really little thing, huh?" He smiled back up at the gnomes. Pike had curled into Scanlan's side with his arm around her and looked as if she could fall asleep at any moment. 

"She's beautiful," Scanlan whispered, and Grog beamed even brighter. 

He knew a few things. One of them was knowing that the look on Scanlan's face was love and awe and if Grog could read - which he could! - it asked, "How did I get this lucky?" 

"Lil' bit's gonna be a monstah like her mum!" 

"I would hope so," Pike chimed. 

"Hey...What's her name?"

White hair still stuck to her forehead and her face still flushed red, Pike gave him the biggest smile to-date.

"Her name is Juniper," she announced proudly, and Grog caught the soft look that washed over Scanlan's face.

"That's your mum's name!" 

Scanlan smiled back. "It is. I just wish she was here to meet her." 

The room fell silent again, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Grog held Juniper for a while longer, catching himself completely off-guard when she yawned big enough to let out a little noise. He just laughed happily.

A knock came from the door and Kaylie walked in a second later.

Hair tousled, bag tossed aside, she walked over with a spring in her step. 

"Well, let's see her then!" She leaned over Grog's arms. "Oh she's a cute one!"

"You think she looks like your old man," Scanlan chimed. 

"Barely, but that's a good thing." 

Grog passed her over. "Her name's Juniper," he announced.

Kaylie's eyes grew wide. "Would've been my gran's name, yeah?"

"It would have." Scanlan went quiet again but the smile on his face only grew. 

"How are you feeling, Pike?" 

"Tired," she admitted. 

They all chatted about for a while longer. Pike eventually dozed off which gave Grog and Kaylie the cue to head out for a bit while the new parents rested up. They both shared a drink, their own way of celebrating, and Kaylie left near sundown. 

Grog knocked on the bedroom door later that evening. Pike's voice rang through, and he walked in only to see her with Juniper pressed into her chest as she fed her. Grog immediately went red in the face and turned away.

"I can come back-"

"It's ok, Grog!" Pike was laughing. "It's normal, it's nothing for you to be embarrassed over." 

He couldn't say anything, so he just walked over and sat on the low bed near Pike.

"Where Scanlan?"

Pike gestured towards the door. "Bathroom. Getting ready for bed, probably. He hasn't been in there that long." 

Juniper let out a hiccup and Pike immediately went to work burping her. Once the baby calmed a bit more, Pike passed her over to Grog again. 

He looked down at the tiny thing, still awestruck at how adorable and absolutely tiny she was. She was staring right back at him. 

"That's your Uncle Grog, Juniper," he heard Pike announce. "He's my very best friend and one of my favorite people. He's family, and I love him. I know he loves you very much." 

If Grog was near tears, he didn't want anyone to know, so he sniffed twice and held the baby a little higher.

"I'm gonna teach you so much," he declared. "How to wield weapons, but when you're much bigger because I don't want you getting hurt. We can read together, too! And I'll tell you stories! And you'll be a real monstah like your mum. I'll make sure no one hurts you, and your mum and dad will, too. But come to me if you really want someone roughed up." 

"You're a good uncle, Grog," Pike beamed. 

Scanlan walked back in the room, then, dressed for bed and eyeing Grog and his daughter. 

"Hey, Pikey. We're not getting her back anytime soon, are we?"

"No," she replied. "I don't think we will. But that's alright, I trust Grog." 

Grog smiled as wide as he possibly could, holding Juniper like she was his greatest possession.

She was. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted at maxbegone.tumblr.com


End file.
